Writers
Welcome to my Musings for Writers
For those passionate about writing, you’ll find inspiration and advice for writers, details of my journey as a writer, and news about the industry.
Beginnings
The opening chapter of a novel is the element that is rewritten, amended and tweaked more than any other part of a story. Ask any writer how many versions of an opening chapter they have written,...
Narrative Distance
The first time I learned about narrative distance – also called psychic distance – I was attending a writers’ workshop in York. It was a light-bulb moment for me. Workshop teacher, author and...
The Power of Nature
Thirty minutes from suburban Melbourne, as the road winds its way through native forest, we enter the tranquillity of the Dandenong Ranges. Mist rises from the forest floor. Late afternoon sunlight...
When Fact Becomes Fiction
I was recently interviewed by a journalist about the release of my historical thriller The Engraver. The Dutch edition of De Graveur spins the tale of famous Baroque painter Rubens, his chief...
Pumpkin Pies and Sensory Immersion
Whenever I smell freshly grated nutmeg, my mind takes me to the kitchen of my childhood home. My dad and I stand side-by-side with our sleeves rolled up, wearing aprons: he mixes canned pumpkin with...
Embracing Failure
Writer Samuel Beckett coined the phrase “Fail again. Fail better” in his penultimate novella Worstward Ho in 1983. It became the mantra for individuals, entrepreneurs and writers around the world,...
Nothing Wasted
When I completed the first draft of The Engraver, I honestly believed it was pretty good. My brash opinion lasted only a few days. After I climbed down from my pedestal, I looked at the manuscript...
Inspiration: Far and Wide
I’m fascinated by the endless ways in which artists – whether musicians, painters, photographers, graphic designers, but especially writers – find inspiration. ‘If you want to be a writer,’ said...
The Muse
When I visited a Frida Kahlo exhibition several years ago, I was struck by her revelation about the inspiration behind her art. ‘I am my own muse,’ she explained. ‘I am the subject I know best. The...